Dancing Jesus pair receive prison terms

December 2014

COPYRIGHTInternet, recorded music

The two men behind the Dancing Jesus file sharing forum have been sentenced to prison terms. Kane Robinson, 26, of North Shields, the site’s owner and creator, was sentenced to 32 months and 22-year-old Richard Graham, from Leicestershire, to 21 months at Newcastle Crown Court. Graham, who uploaded 8,00 songs to the site, had earlier pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty when the evidence was presented.. The two men were subject to a private prosecution led by record industry trade body the BPI after an investigation by the City Of London Police. Robinson pleaded guilty to copyright crimes before trial. Of the 8000+ tracks Graham shared via the Dancing Jesus site, about two-thirds were pre-release. Commentators said that the sentences were similar to those found in criminal copyright convictions relating to the manufacture and sale of bootlegged CDs or DVDs. Commenting on the sentences, David Wood, Director of the BPI’s Copyright Protection Unit, told reporters: “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message to the operators and users of illegal music sites that online piracy is a criminal activity that will not be tolerated by law enforcement in the UK or overseas. Piracy – particularly pre-release – can make or break an artist’s career, and can determine whether a record label is able to invest in that crucial second or third album”.